Consider the practicalities – accessibility and any drainage issues – as well as the aesthetics.
Most designers agree that garden paths are more than just a functional route from house to shed, patio or pool. They are an integral part of the overall design of a garden.
As garden designer Helen Elks Smith says: 'We position key social spaces and items such as vegetable gardens, glasshouse, pools etc in the best spots for those to work. The next task is to connect those spaces and connect back to the house. Not all paths are equal though – paths are used differently and the important ones will be the ones that you use most.'
When you’re choosing the right path for your garden, think about the practicalities – accessibility and any drainage issues – as well as the aesthetics. Take into consideration the local brick and stonework and do mix materials, but limit your palette to two or three surface types.
Here are 10 suggestions:
Paths do need to get you from A to B, but there’s no reason they can't take you on a journey. By curving a path you can tease the eye, allowing a glimpse of the destination to create a sense of exploration, even in smaller spaces.
'Curving a path through planting creates intrigue and allure, drawing you down the path further as you can't see what's round the next bend,' says Sam Proctor from Chiltern Garden Design. 'It's a great way to encourage people to explore their garden through the seasons. A curving path slows you down intentionally, so that you stop and notice what's new, what's in bud, what's growing, making travelling along it a mindful and de-stressing experience.'
In this garden, the path is made from handmade Vande Moortel Clay pavers in a dark anthracite colour, picking up details on the house and pergola.
The classic pathway to a front door is usually more formal – either Victorian tiles or stone pavers that complement the house. Planting can either soften the edges or reinforce the lines of the pathway.
Matthew Haddon at Haddon Studio says: 'I always try to tie a formal path with the materials used for the house, or elsewhere in the garden, so that it feels that the path was installed alongside the rest of the house and garden and not a later after thought. It may be edged with matched brick pavers to help tie with the house. Materials wise, sandstone, limestone or porcelain could be appropriate – and with the natural stone you also need to decide whether to use cut pavers for a smooth finish or riven pavers.'
Gravel is a really cost-effective, natural material and is great as a permeable path surface. The downsides are that it makes a good home for volunteer seedlings and it has a habit of dispersing, so there are a few golden rules when choosing a gravel path.
Firstly, prepare the surface and use a weed suppressing membrane with a hexagonal grid to help lock the gravel in place. There are many different shades and sizes of gravel to choose from. Self-binding Hoggin or Breedon gravels work well in larger areas.
Designers recommend using angular aggregates as these self-compact more effectively; and you can usually find one that suits the colouring of your local brick or stonework. It’s also worth exploring aggregates made from recycled materials. Another designer tip is to use paving near doorways as a buffer to the gravel, to stop it migrating indoors.
Stepping stones have come a long way. A popular choice at Chelsea Flower Show 2023, many stepping stones were large slab-like pavers not unlike oversized crazy paving. Large flagstones work well when used to break up areas of grass, gravel or paving. Set them into grass so they won’t interrupt mowing and use them to create a playful look and for textural contrast.
Stepping stones tend to suit a more informal style but you can choose square or rectangular pavers for a more geometric, contemporary look, to contrast with different paving or gravel.
You can play with the patterns in your chosen paving, and by laying bricks or pavers in a herringbone or longline form, you can lead the eye towards your destination or focal point. This adds to the sense of mystery, intrigue and garden romance, as well as pointing you in the right direction.
Use the lines to accentuate the view from the house or seating area. Designer Marlene Lento used paving lines to create a false perspective to make a small garden look longer, by narrowing the path at the far end.
A hard edging to paths is essential if you are using gravel or bark chippings to stop it spreading across your lawn and borders. Steel or plastic edging can be sunk to a depth which can be mown over. There is also recycled edging available which looks like timber but is made from old tyres.
Edging for a solid surface is not strictly necessary; however, it can be aesthetically pleasing. You could choose decorative concrete strips or lay brick pavers the opposite way to the path. Edging with plants links paths to the garden and softens the hard landscaping.
Helen Elks-Smith says to think carefully about how close you plant to the edge, as overflowing planting on both sides could make the average 1.2m path too narrow to walk along: 'Planting lavender close to the edge can make a path appear curvy. For a more formal look, plant further back. If you have a path up to 1.8m wide, overflowing plants are great for softening the edges.'
Combine two or three materials for a considered textural look in your pathways. Choose an informal approach as in Sarah Price’s gold medal-winning Chelsea Flower Show 2023 garden where she used random brick pavers set into a recycled aggregate. With more formal paving, use contrasting bricks for edges, or to create pausing points in the pathway.
Great for uneven areas, or as a way to maximise planting in a long thin garden, a raised wooden path or boardwalk, constructed with posts and planks, makes a beautiful feature. Angela Slater, gardening expert at Hayes Garden World, suggests it as a solution for damp gardens: 'If your garden is wet and boggy… stop trying to fight nature and construct a boardwalk across it so you can access without getting your feet wet. The boardwalk will also provide a valuable refuge and home for a number of wetland invertebrates and amphibians.'
If you have a shady garden, use bark woodchip with felled branches, split or cut logs to create a path in harmony with the environment. It’s a good way of reusing materials – timber from prunings and felled trees can be turned into woodchip, smaller branches make good edging, battens and posts along the path, or sunken into the ground as the actual surface of the path; or use sawn rounds as stepping stones through the mulch.
Of course, this is a material that will rot down over time, but it’s easy to repair and replenish. Designer Libby Russell from Mazzullo + Russell says: 'When you're in a woodland its lovely to use found materials. The idea is that it's very light on the land and it makes walking through a woodland more practical.'
Sometimes the simplest approach can be very effective. An ideal solution for larger or longer gardens is to mow a pathway through long grassy meadow areas, or simply keep a wide grassy path flanking a long flowering perennial border.
Easy to maintain, cool underfoot, wildlife-friendly and good for drainage, grassy paths have few negatives other than they will get a little worn from use, so aim to re-seed in spring or autumn. Shift your perspective a little so you don’t have to aim for a pristine lawn or turf and embrace the daisies.
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